New Delhi, June 26: Field directors of country’s tiger reserves are meeting in Rajasthan for chalking out strategies for effective co-existing techniques between the big cats and human population as the country has already lost many endangered species including tigers and other animals to man-animal conflict.
The meeting, taking place in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve on Wednesday, is of importance as the Cabinet has recently cleared the setting up of the Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau). The bureau will not only work in bringing down the incidents of poaching and illegal trade in wildlife but will also establish a data base on wildlife items and trade along with teaming up with national and international agencies in the same field. The meeting will also take up issues relating to this new bureau.
Other important issue that will be taken up in this meeting will be discussion on formulating new guidelines for eco-tourism so that animals are not effected by tourists visiting their habitat. Member-secretary, national tiger conservation authority, Dr Rajesh Gopal said that the meeting is also important as the monsoon has set in and it needs different protection initiatives in reserves and wildlife sanctuaries against poaching.
"There needs to be a healthy co-existence between man and animal outside the core area of animals like tigers, which is important as both shouldn’t feel that their area is being encroached by either," said Dr Gopal adding, that no animal should be harmed or get effected in the name of tourism. Also, with reports that the ongoing tiger census will confirm the well accepted fact that tiger population has drastically reduced since last census report was released, the meeting is seen as an effort by authorities to pull up their socks. The meeting will also discuss management related issues and implementation of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendement Act, 2006
